1. Field
Provided is a microfluidic device and a method of manufacturing the microfluidic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sample related to a clinic or environment is analyzed by a series of biochemical, chemical, and mechanical processes. Technical development for biological diagnosis or monitoring of a sample has attracted wide attention. Also, a molecular diagnosis method based on nucleic acid exhibits superior accuracy and sensitivity, and thus, is widely used for infectious disease or cancer diagnosis, pharmacogenomics, and new drug development. A lab-on-a-chip (“LOC”) having a microfluidic device is widely used to conveniently and accurately analyze a sample according to a variety of purposes. In the microfluidic device, since a plurality of members such as a sample input hole, a sample output hole, a micro-flow path, and a reaction chamber are formed in a thin substrate, a variety of tests may be conveniently performed with respect to a single sample.
The substrate of the microfluidic device may be a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, or a silicon substrate. The glass substrate is widely used when there is a demand to optically verify a biochemical reaction due to transparent and hydrophilic property of a surface thereof. The microfluidic device reliably performs basic functions such as transportation, mixing, or separation of a fluid in a quantity desired by a user, by using a valve or a pump system. To operate the valve or pump system of the microfluidic device, thermal, magnetic, electrical, or pneumatic methods are used. Of the methods, the pneumatic method is widely used because it is relatively simple.
The microfluidic device having a pneumatic valve system basically includes a first substrate where a micro-flow path through along which a liquid flows is formed, a valve gate film for opening/closing a valve formed of a flexible material, and a second substrate for controlling the valve gate film using air pressure. In the microfluidic device configured as above, the fluid is sealed without leakage and the fluid can be freely transferred via the valve as much as the quantity desired by the user. Accordingly, the connection between the valve gate film and the substrate has become one of important issues.